Need help with valve actuators and omnipl

[gtty]

Hi

I’m at the end of my month long upgrade to my new OmniLogic panel. I have installed a total of 4 valve actuators.
1. Vlv1 return to spa/pool(adjusts when spa is turned on or pool is turned on)
2. Vlv2 suction from spa(opens when spa is turned on)
3. Vlv3. Additional suction from pool ( to close when spa is turned in)
4. Vlv4 additional suction from pool (to close when spa is turned out in)

I have set up the spa with vlv1 &2. It works when the spa is turned on.

I cannot figure out how to get Vlv3 &4 to actuate to closed when the spa has been turned on. So do I need to actuate these other two valves using an interlock when the spa is turned on? I’ve read through the installation instructions and cannot find the answer.

 

[HermanTX]

Hi

I’m at the end of my month long upgrade to my new OmniLogic panel. I have installed a total of 4 valve actuators.
1. Vlv1 return to spa/pool(adjusts when spa is turned on or pool is turned on)
2. Vlv2 suction from spa(opens when spa is turned on)
3. Vlv3. Additional suction from pool ( to close when spa is turned in)
4. Vlv4 additional suction from pool (to close when spa is turned out in)

I have set up the spa with vlv1 &2. It works when the spa is turned on.

I cannot figure out how to get Vlv3 &4 to actuate to closed when the spa has been turned on. So do I need to actuate these other two valves using an interlock when the spa is turned on? I’ve read through the installation instructions and cannot find the answer.

Your terminology is somewhat confusing. Maybe a photo will help.
Valve 1 switches between spa and pool return. This is called your Return actuator
Valve 2 - does this switch between spa and pool suction? If so this is normally called your Intake or suction actuator
Are Valves 3 & 4 mechanical or do they have electric actuators on top of them?
Do you have a suction side vacuum cleaner?

 

[gtty]

Sorry for the confusion.

Vlv1 is a 3-way actuated jandy valve that is the return to the spa/pool. This currently works as needed through the panel programming

Vlv2 is a 2-way actuated jandy valve that cuts on/off the spa suction only to pump. This works currently as needed through the panel programming

Vlv3 is a 2-way actuated jandy valve that is a suction from the pool only. I can’t figure out how to get this to work through programming.

Vlv4 is a 2-way actuated jandy valve that is a return from the pool only. I can’t figure out how to get this to work through programming

I have a suction side cleaner with a manual non-actuated 2-way jandy valve.

 

[HermanTX]

So there is not a 3-way valve on the suction side? That may be an issue. Can you post a photo?

 

[ajw22]

You cannot assign additional valve actuators to the SPA beyond the standard SUCTION and RETURN valves.

You can create a WATER FEATURE and assign VLV3 or VLV4 to move when the water feature is selected.

We do not understand what these additional suction valves do. If we do, then maybe we can help you map it to the OMNI Configuration.

You can only do on the Omni what the Configration lets you do.

 

[gtty]

So there is not a 3-way valve on the suction side? That may be an issue. Can you post a photo?

here is what I have presently.

 

[ajw22]

S1 and S2 are two suction lines home run to the pump. Are they your two skimmer lines? What is S1 and S2 conencted to at the pool?

S3 is your spa suction line.

What is the reason to have actuators on individual pool suction lines? The valves may be adjusted for balance and then left in that setting.

 

[gtty]

You cannot assign additional valve actuators to the SPA beyond the standard SUCTION and RETURN valves.

You can create a WATER FEATURE and assign VLV3 or VLV4 to move when the water feature is selected.

We do not understand what these additional suction valves do. If we do, then maybe we can help you map it to the OMNI Configuration.

You can only do on the Omni what the Configration lets you do.

Thanks for this. I think this is the right answer. See the reply above with the pics.

Excuse the 3-stooges piping I had to re-orient the pump due to when I had to replace it, it would not fit (due to headroom) where the old single speed pump was installed and I had to give 10-in straight away before the pump, which the old pump did not have. The crazy piping is due to very limited space and I wanted to be able to adjust each valve independently. Maybe this was a mistake. I did make it so that I could remove any single valve for replacement independently using scrd fittings. The mess I inherited was all glued in and valve bodies were all cracked with suction leaks and no spare pipe between valves. The SWG cell really made this arrangement look weird..

 

[gtty]

S1 and S2 are two suction lines home run to the pump. Are they your two skimmer lines? What is S1 and S2 conencted to at the pool?

S3 is your spa suction line.

What is the reason to have actuators on individual pool suction lines? The valves may be adjusted for balance and then left in that setting.

S1 and S2 are two suction lines home run to the pump. Are they your two skimmer lines? What is S1 and S2 conencted to at the pool?
S1 & S2 (connected to vlv3 & 4 in panel) are suction lines from the pool baskets to the pump. See the pics in the post above.

S3 is your spa suction line.
Correct. Connected to vlv2 terminal in the panel

What is the reason to have actuators on individual pool suction lines? The valves may be adjusted for balance and then left in that setting.
When I had to replumb due to pump and subsequent valve failures due to 20 year old valves, I thought I wanted to control all valves separately and the option to take any line out of service independently. This may have been a bad idea in retrospect, but I had just dealt with a 3-way valve failure (cracked and leaking housing) that had taken my entire pool offline for several days.

 

[ajw22]

Your setup becomes clearer now after seeing the overall equipment pad. I think you went a bit overboard with unions. I assume you had ball vales that you replaced. Diverter valves can be rebuilt and the housing hardly ever needs replacement unless you have freezing damage or crack screw holes due to overtightening. So diverter valves do not need unions to help in replacement.

There is no reason for actuators on your skimmer lines.

There is typically no reason to choke down skimmer lines with a valve. In normal operation, leave the diverter on each skimmer line fully open. You use the valves when you want to stop water flow for pump maintenance or when winterizing the lines. Otherwise, just leave them fully open.

I don't know what Pool Cleaner you have on the cleaner line. You can put an actuator on the cleaner valve and turn it on and off using the Omni.

 

[gtty]

Your setup becomes clearer now after seeing the overall equipment pad. I think you went a bit overboard with unions. I assume you had ball vales that you replaced. Diverter valves can be rebuilt and the housing hardly ever needs replacement unless you have freezing damage or crack screw holes due to overtightening. So diverter valves do not need unions to help in replacement.

There is no reason for actuators on your skimmer lines.

There is typically no reason to choke down skimmer lines with a valve. In normal operation, leave the diverter on each skimmer line fully open. You use the valves when you want to stop water flow for pump maintenance or when winterizing the lines. Otherwise, just leave them fully open.

I don't know what Pool Cleaner you have on the cleaner line. You can put an actuator on the cleaner valve and turn it on and off using the Omni.

Your setup becomes clearer now after seeing the overall equipment pad. I think you went a bit overboard with unions. I assume you had ball vales that you replaced. Diverter valves can be rebuilt and the housing hardly ever needs replacement unless you have freezing damage or crack screw holes due to overtightening. So diverter valves do not need unions to help in replacement.
The pool setup was here when we bought the house and the pad is super small as you can see. All but one (pool/spa return) of the valve bodies were cracked apparently from overtightening (by others) where the screws went in through the top and all return valves were sucking air. This took me a while to figure out when trying to get the air out of the basket. I probably did go overboard with unions but I can easily disassemble piping spools as needed compared to cutting so much out. All those valves being glued strait onto each other in a tree meant that when one valve body failed, they all failed.

There is no reason for actuators on your skimmer lines.
How do I keep from heating pool water when the spa is running and just need to keep the spa hot?

There is typically no reason to choke down skimmer lines with a valve. In normal operation, leave the diverter on each skimmer line fully open. You use the valves when you want to stop water flow for pump maintenance or when winterizing the lines. Otherwise, just leave them fully open.
I would definitely change how I did things looking back. All of these changes were mostly done in phases separated in months/years without knowing I would go the automation route. My wife tried to turn the valves for the spa and deadheaded the pump and this is what made me want to automate it so she could turn the spa on and I didn't have to worry about what she is doing (Honey, the pool is making a funny noise, lol). I choke the skimmers to force more flow through the pool cleaner for better speed/suction. I had this problem with the old 3-way diverter setup

I don't know what Pool Cleaner you have on the cleaner line. You can put an actuator on the cleaner valve and turn it on and off using the Omni.
Pool cleaner is a Polaris® ATLAS XT, and it works well. Seems like the Omnipl is good for 4 valves only. I would need 5 to do that.

The photo below is what I started with. All three of the valves on the right were sucking air and were cracked in the housing. There wasn't enough straight run before the pump also.

 

[ajw22]

How do I keep from heating pool water when the spa is running and just need to keep the spa hot?

In spa mode all suction should come from your spa suction line and all return should be to your spa return and jets. There should be no spillover into the pool.

If this is not what you have then something is setup wrong.

In SPA mode the pool sits idle with no skimmer suction flow or return flow.

I choke the skimmers to force more flow through the pool cleaner for better speed/suction. I had this problem with the old 3-way diverter setup

Frankly you should get a robot pool cleaner.

I see why you need to choke the skimmers to get more suction from the cleaner line.

The suction lines should have been setup with a 3-way diverter valve that would close down the skimmer suction as it opens up the cleaner suction. Then one actuator on that valve can control turning on the cleaner and reduction the skimmers. That setup the Omni can control.

I don't know what Pool Cleaner you have on the cleaner line. You can put an actuator on the cleaner valve and turn it on and off using the Omni.
Pool cleaner is a Polaris® ATLAS XT, and it works well. Seems like the Omnipl is good for 4 valves only. I would need 5 to do that.

One 3-way properly plumbed can do what you think you need three for.